Arthur Morton Godfrey Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead. No TV personality in 1950s America enjoyed more clout or fame than Godfrey until an infamous on-air incident undermined his folksy image and triggered a gradual decline. At the peak of his success, Godfrey helmed two CBS-TV weekly series and a daily 90-minute television mid-morning show, but, by the early 1960s, his presence had been reduced to hosting the occasional TV special.Arguably the most prominent of the medium's early master commercial pitchmen, he was strongly identified with many of his many sponsors, especially Chesterfield cigarettes and Lipton Tea. Having advertised Chesterfield for many years, during which time he came up with the idea and slogan "Buy 'em by the carton", Godfrey severed his relationship with the company on one of his television programs after his doctors had convinced him that his lung cancer was due to smoking. Subsequently, he became a prominent spokesman for anti-smoking education.
Kathryn Morton Godfrey, Arthur Hanbury Godfrey, Too Fat Polka, Makin’ Love Ukulele Style, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep
Siblings
Dorothy Gene
Awards
Peabody Award
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Personality, Primetime Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Kinescoped Personality, Too Fat Polka, Makin’ Love Ukulele Style, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep
Movies
Flatbed Annie and Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers, The Great Bank Hoax, Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows, The Glass Bottom Boat, 50 Years Before Your Eyes
TV Shows
Candid Camera, Arthur Godfrey and His Friends, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, Your All American College Show
Star Sign
Virgo
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Trademark
1
Theme song: "Seems Like Old Times"
2
Ukulele
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Fact
1
In 1960 Arthur Godfrey was announced for the role of Abel Frake in the forthcoming 20th Century-Fox Picture "State Fair", eventually released in March 1962 with Tom Ewell having replaced Godfrey.
2
His radio shows were broadcast over the AFRS network. These were played by the local outlets from vinyl recordings.
He was awarded 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard; for Recording at 6616 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Television at 1559 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
5
He once remarked on his television show that, when told they had booked Tommy Leonetti, he thought that it was a trio called "Tommy, Lee and Eddie.".
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives." Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 323-325. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
8
Was an avid amateur (ham) radio operator with the call sign K4LIB. This call is now owned by the Arthur Godfrey Fan Club, which runs an annual ham event in honour of his memory.
9
Was thought to have been at least the partial inspiration for the character of Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes in Elia Kazan's film A Face in the Crowd (1957). The character of Rhodes was that of a popular TV personality whose folksy image covered up the fact that he was a vicious, manipulative bully privately.
10
He was rated as a Naval Aviator in 1950 (his previous attempts to serve during the war were thwarted by a leg injury). He was certified to fly virtually every type of aircraft in existence during his lifetime (rotor, jet, multiple engine, helicopter, holding FAA type ratings from the DC-3 to the Constellation) and was an honorary pilot for Eastern Airlines. He appeared in a 1953 Eastern Airlines film with famed pilot Dick Merrill at the helm of a Constellation. His friend Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker gave him a customized DC-3 in 1947, which he more than returned in kind through plugs for the airline along with his endorsements about flying safety to his millions of flying-wary listeners during the 1940s.
After years of being a popular radio personality in Washington, DC, Godfrey tried to get the top execs at CBS Radio to air his radio show on the full network. They turned him down, claiming that he was strictly a local host. However, on April 12, 1945, the network needed someone to serve as commentator for the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Godfrey was assigned to host the sad event. His remarks were so sincere and heartfelt that CBS finally gave him a nationally broadcast talk/variety series.
13
He made his radio debut in the mid-'20s on a radio talent show as a banjo player and singer. He later hosted his own musical/variety program, "Red Godfrey The Warbling Banjoist & His Uklelee Club.
14
Inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2001.
15
He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988.
He was known for finding and grooming young, undiscovered talent. But he insisted on loyalty and absolute control over their careers. One of his bigger finds, singer Julius LaRosa, was unceremoniously fired by a very gracious-sounding Godfrey ON THE AIR simply because the up-and-comer found himself an agent. Godfrey's popularity soon declined after the incident -- his "nice guy" public image irreparably damaged.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Love Boat
1979
TV Series
Ned Dunkmueller
Flatbed Annie & Sweetiepie: Lady Truckers
1979
TV Movie
Uncle Wally
Angels' Brigade
1979
Arthur Godfrey
Flying High
1978
TV Series
Red Greene
The Great Bank Hoax
1978
Maj. Bryer (Ret.)
Ellery Queen
1976
TV Series
Claude Sitwell
The Red Skelton Hour
1967-1969
TV Series
Shifty Sam / Farmer
Your All-American College Show
1968
TV Series
Host
Where Angels Go Trouble Follows!
1968
The Bishop: The 'In' Group
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1967
TV Series
Sheriff Tinsley
The Glass Bottom Boat
1966
Axel Nordstrom
Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine
1964
TV Series
Cameo
4 for Texas
1963
Mr. Godfrey (uncredited)
Fifty Years Before Your Eyes
1950
Documentary
Narrator
Arthur Godfrey and His Ukulele
1950
TV Series
Host
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Gintberg på kanten
2011-2016
TV Series documentary music - 13 episodes
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Six Feet Under
2004
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Dean Martin Show
1967
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Glass Bottom Boat
1966
performer: "The Glass Bottom Boat", "Whatever Will Be, Will Be Que Sera, Sera" uncredited
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
1958
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
America: The Everglades
1971
TV Movie documentary
America: The Ocean Frontier
1970
TV Movie documentary
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Arthur Godfrey Time
1952
TV Series
Himself
Premiere
1951
TV Special
Himself
It Could Happen to You
1947
Short
Himself - Narrator and Radio Show Host
Oz: The American Fairyland
1997
Video documentary
Himself (voice)
The Arthur Godfrey Special
1979
TV Movie
Himself - Guest of Honor
The Alan Hamel Show
1979
TV Series
Himself
Everyday
1978
TV Series
Himself
CBS: On the Air
1978
TV Mini-Series documentary
Co-host - part II
Handle with Care
1977
Himself (voice)
The Hollywood Squares
1972-1976
TV Series
Himself
Donny and Marie
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Merv Griffin Show
1976
TV Series
Himself
Don Rickles: Buy This Tape You Hockey Puck
1975
Video documentary
Himself
Rickles
1975
TV Movie
Himself
The Vin Scully Show
1973
TV Series
Himself
Laugh-In
1973
TV Series
Himself
Portable Electric Medicine Show
1972
TV Movie
Himself - Host
America: The Everglades
1971
TV Movie documentary
The David Frost Show
1969-1971
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest Host
The Ed Sullivan Show
1951-1970
TV Series
Himself / Singer
The Mike Douglas Show
1970
TV Series
Himself
America: The Ocean Frontier
1970
TV Movie documentary
Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus - 99th Edition
1969
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Jerry Lewis Show
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Dean Martin Show
1966-1968
TV Series
Himself
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
1968
TV Series
Himself
Our Place
1967
TV Series
Himself
The Roger Miller Show
1966
TV Series
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1963-1966
TV Series
Himself - Guest Host / Himself - Guest
I've Got a Secret
1958-1966
TV Series
Himself - Panelist / Himself - Celebrity Guest / Himself - Guest / ...
What's My Line?
1952-1966
TV Series
Himself - Mystery Guest / Himself - Guest Panelist
The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show
1966
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Hollywood Palace
1964-1966
TV Series
Himself - Host / Singer
Ice Capades of 1966
1965
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Lucy Show
1965
TV Series
Himself
Password All-Stars
1963-1964
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Panelist
The Jack Paar Program
1963-1964
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
The Arthur Godfrey Thanksgiving Special
1963
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The 15th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1963
TV Special
Himself - Host
Arthur Godfrey Loves Animals
1963
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Arthur Godfrey and the Sounds of New York
1963
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Arthur Godfrey in Hollywood
1962
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Arthur Godfrey Show
1961
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Red Skelton Hour
1959-1961
TV Series
Himself - Guest Host / Himself
Candid Camera
1960-1961
TV Series
Himself - Host / Himself - Co-Host / Himself
The 12th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1960
TV Special
Himself
The Arthur Godfrey Show
1960
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Sunday Showcase
1959
TV Series
Himself - Host
The Arthur Godfrey Show
1959
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
1953-1958
TV Series
Himself - Host / Himself / Performer
Talent Scouts
1949-1956
TV Series
Himself - Host
The Al Pearce Show
1954
TV Series
Herself - Singer
The Jackie Gleason Show
1954
TV Series
Himself - Guest Host
Person to Person
1953
TV Series documentary
Himself
Flying with Arthur Godfrey
1953
Documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
60 Minutes
2011
TV Series documentary
Himself (segment "Andy Rooney")
Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority
2008
Documentary
Himself
Pioneers of Television
2008
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Candid Camera: 5 Decades of Smiles
2005
Video
Himself
Muppets Magic from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
2003
Video
Himself
Biography
1996-2000
TV Series documentary
Himself
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Video documentary
Himself
Avalon
1990
Himself (uncredited)
When Television Was Young
1977
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Movie Orgy
1968
Documentary
Himself - Brief Clip from Unidentified Program (uncredited)